This invention relates generally to electrical circuit board apparatus and, more particularly, to electrical circuit board apparatus utilizing improved standoff elements for separating and supporting printed circuit boards.
Printed circuit boards are used extensively in various types of electrical equipment. Typically, standoff elements are used to support and provide spacing for circuit boards. Standoffs are used, for example, to separate, support and electrically insulate a printed circuit board from either a metal chassis or other printed circuit boards. In many applications, separated circuit boards include ground circuits that must be interconnected. Typically, such grounding connections are accomplished with cumbersome leads extending between the separated boards. U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,158 discloses a conductive standoff for providing equal ground potentials on separated boards. However, the effectiveness and utility of this prior standoff is limited.
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved standoff device that can both separate and electrically interconnect printed circuit boards.